Suction cleaner



M. H. RIPPLE SUCTION CLEANER Jan. 31, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 5, 1964 Jan. 31-, 967 M. H. RIPPLE 3,300,806

SUCTION CLEANER 4 2 Sheets-$heet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1964 United States Patent 9 3,300,806 SUCTION CLEANER Melvin H. Ripple, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 387,574 4 Claims. (Ci. 15-334) The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to providing a suction bleed effective through the nozzles used for on-the-floor and off-the-floor cleaning without constricting the passageways to flow of the dirt-laden from such nozzles to the filter.

An object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner having a nozzle for on-the-floor cleaning and valve means for controlling flow of ambient air through an opening adapted to receive a hose for ofif-the-ficor cleaning to supply high and low suction pressures at the floor cleaning nozzle without constricting the passageway conveying dirt-laden air from the floor nozzle to the filter bag. Another object is to provide a suction cleaner with an opening adapted to receive a hose for ofi-the-fioor cleaning, a nozzle for on-the-floor cleaning and valve means for controlling flow of ambient air through the nozzle without constricting the passageway for conveying dirt-laden air from the hose to the filter bag. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective rear view of the suction cleaner showing the bag and motor housing in storage position and a hose connected for olf-the-floor cleaning,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the suction control panel,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1 showing the valve arranged along the interior surface of the housing cover,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a view along the line 55 in FIGURE 4 with the valve cover removed and showing the valve member arranged to supply high suction pressure to the floor nozzle only for on-the-fioor cleaning,

FIGURE 6 shows the valve in a plurality of positions for unrestricted passage of dirt-laden air from the floor nozzle and also connected to the hose opening to provide difierent degrees of suction bleed for on-the-fioor cleaning,

FIGURE 7 is a section along the line 77 in FIG- URE 6, and

FIGURE 8 shows the valve arranged in a plurality of positions for unrestricted passage of dirt-laden air from the oif-the-floor cleaning nozzle and also connected to the fioor nozzle to provide variant suction bleeds for off-thefioor cleaning.

The embodiment of the invention herein described comprises a body 10 supported on front and rear wheels 11 and 12 respectively, the front wheels 11 being mounted on a shaft 13 attached to lever arms 14 pivotally mounted on the body 10. At the forward end of the body 10 is a nozzle 15 adapted to remove dirt from the surface 16 to be cleaned. Extending rearwardly from the nozzle 15 are spaced arms 17 connected at their ends to a cross member 18 to define therebetween an open area 19 in which is positioned the lower portion 20 of an elongated housing 21 Which is pivotally mounted by suitable means on the arms 17 of the body 10.

, Arranged in the lower portion 20 of the housing 21 is a motor-fan unit 22 connected through a port 23 with the lower end of the housing 21 for creating suction presssure within the latter. The air from the motor-fan unit 22 is discharged to atmosphere through an opening 24 in the lower portion of the housing 21. A cover 25 is hinged at 26 to the housing 21 above the portion enclosing the Tia-tiara Patented Jan. 31, 1967 motor-fan unit 22 and is held in closed position by a suitable latch 27 rotatably secured to the upper end of the housing 21. Projecting upwardly of the housing 21 is a handle 28 having a hand grip 29 and switch 30 which is suitably connected to the motor 22 and a cord 31 having a plug 32 for removable attachment to a source of current.

Mounted on the interior of the housing cover 25 is a valve, indicated generally at 33, on which is supported a paper dirt filtering bag 34 disposed in a filter chamber extending throughout the length of the housing 21 from the motor-fan unit 22 to adjacent the handle 28. The valve 33 is connected by a conduit or hose 35 which extends from an opening 36 in the cover 25 into one of the body arms 17 to the nozzle 15. The valve 33 is also connected to an opening 37 in the cover 25 of the housing 21. The opening 37 communicates directly with the atmosphere for entrance of ambient air and also is provided with recesses 38 adapted to removably receive a hose 39 connected to a cleaning tool nozzle 40 for olT-the-floor cleaning.

The valve 33 comprises a first passageway 41 formed by the interior surface of the housing cover 25, opposed side walls 42 projecting from the cover 25 and the arcuate arm 43 of a valve cover 44. The outer end 45 of the first air passageway 41 is connected to the end 46 of the conduit 35 in the opening 36 and the conduit 35 is secured in the passageway 41 by the valve cover 44 which is bolted to the housing cover 25 by screws 47. The inner portion 48 of the air passage way 41 terminates in a valve chamber 49 having an arcuate side Wall 50 integral with the housing cover 25. A second air passageway 51 extends from its inner end 52 at the valve chamber 49 to the opening 37 in the housing cover 25 and is defined by the valve cover 44 and a wall 53 projecting integrally from the housing cover 25. The valve cover 44 is provided with a tubular projection 54 which is in axial alignment with the valve chamber 49 and provides a support on which the inlet 96 of the filter bag 34 is removably mounted.

Rotatably arranged within the valve chamber 49 is a valve member 56 having a bottom wall 57 adjacent the housing 25.and'on upstanding substantially U-shaped side wall 58 the upper edge terminating in a wall 59which is in sealing engagement with the undersurface of the valve cover 44. The U-shaped side wall 58 has spaced terminal ends 61) and 61 which define therebetween a radial air inlet 62 into the valve member 56, and an outlet 63 communicates with the tubular projection 54 on the valve cover 44 and which is arranged axially with respect to the axis of rotation of the valve member 56. The valve member 56 is provided with a peripheral outer side wall 64 spaced from the inner U-shaped side wall 58 and the outer wall 64 rotatably engages the wall 50 of the valve chamber 49. In order to provide an air seal between the valve outer wall 64 and the valve chamber Wall 50 the latter is provided with spaced recessed areas 65 in which is arranged gasket material 66 engaging the surface of the outer wall 64 on the valve member 56. The valve member 56 is manually adjusted by means of a handle or lever 67 projecting through the housing cover 25 and is secured to the valve bottom wall 57 by a screw 63.

The spaced ends and 61 defining the radial entrance 62 to the valve member 56 are spaced apart to define an inlet having greater peripheral extent than either of the open ends 48 or 52 of the air passageways 41 and 51 respectively. The air inlet 62 is of such size that it can completely span the outlet 48 of the air passageway 41 and a portion of the outlet 52 of air passageway 51, as shown in FIGURE 6 in broken lines, so that the valve member 56 does not restrict the passageway 41 and flow of dirt-laden air from the floor nozzle 15 into the filter bag 34 while ambient suction bleed air flows through the opening 37 into the filter bag'34 to reduce the effective suction air pressure. In like manner when the valve member 56 is positioned as shown in broken lines in FIG- URE 8 the air inlet 62 completely spans the outlet 52 of air passageway 51 and also communicates with the air passageway 41, whereby the valve member 56 does not restrict the air passageway 51 to flow of dirt-laden air from the opening 37 while suction bleed ambient air travels through the floor nozzle and passageway 41 into the filter.

Indicia 70 on the exterior surface of the housing cover above the handle 67 indicates the positions to which the valve member 56 may be adjusted in order to provide various suction pressure conditions for on-the-fioor and ofi-the-fioor cleaning. The points 70, 71 and 72 indicate valve positions for on-the-floor cleaning and represent respectively High, Medium and Low ranges of, suction pressure available at the nozzle 15. The numerals 73, 74 and 75 represent valve positions for oif-t-he-floor cleaning to provide respective-1y Low, Medium and High suction pressure at the cleaning tool nozzle When the appliance is employed for on-the-floor cleaning the handle 28 is moved out of its storage position shown in FIGURE 1 to arrange the nozzle 15 in proper position relative to the surface 16 to be cleaned and the hose 39 is removed from the opening 37. If high suction pressure is desired in the floor nozzle 15 the valve control lever 67 is shifted to the High position 70 and which places the radial air inlet 62 of the valve member 56 in register only with the air passageway 41 as shown in FIGURE 5, and a portion of the inlet 62 adjacent the end 61 is disposed to the right of the passageway 41 so that the arcuate side wall 56 seals off such portion of the inlet 62. In this position of the valve the full suction pressure supplied by the motor-fan unit 22 is eifective in the floor nozzle 15 to remove dirt from the surface 16 and which is conveyed by the conduit 35 to the air passageway 41 into the radial air inlet 62, as indicated by the arrows 80, and then through the axial outlet 63 and tubular support 54 into the bag 34 which removes the dirt from the air stream for passage of the latter through the outlet 23 into the motor of the motor-fan unit 22 for discharge of air to atmosphere through the opening 24.

If Hig suction is not required or if such suction interferes with easy movement of the cleaner over the surface being cleaned then the valve operating lever 67 may be moved to the Medium or Low suction positions indicated respectively at 71 and 72.

In the Medium position of the valve member 56, as shown by dotted lines in FIGURE 6, the end wall 61 is positioned to the right of the open end 48 of the air passageway 41 and the other end wall 69* is arranged slightly to the left to expose a portion of the end 52 of the air passageway 51. In this position the inlet 62 of the valve member 56 completely spans the end 48 of the air passageway 41 so that flow of dirt-laden air from the floor nozzle 15, as indicated by the arrows 81, to the filter bag 34 is not restricted. The valve inlet 62 also registers partially with the outlet 52 of the passageway 51 so that atmospheric air enters the opening 37 and travels through passageway 51, as indicated by the arrow 82, through its partially uncovered end 52 into the tubular member 54 and filter bag 34, to thereby provide a slight suction ambient air bleed which reduces the effective suction pressure at the floor nozzle 15.

, In the Low suction position for on-the-fioor cleaning the valve member 56 is arranged as shown in dotdash lines in FIGURE 6. It will be noted the end wall 61 of the valve member 56 is aligned with a wall 42 of the air passageway 41 so that the latter remains unrestricted for flow oi dirt-laden air from the floor nozzle 15 to the filter bag 34. The valve inlet 62 exposes a larger area of the end 52 of the air passageway 51, whereby a greater volume of ambient air enters the filter bag 34 to additionally reduce the efiective suction in the air passageway 51 and thus the nozzle 15 for on-the-fioor cleaning. l

When the cleaner is to be employed for off-the-floor cleaning the handle 28 is moved to its storage position and such movement lowers the front wheels 11 to raise the nozzle 15 from the supporting surface so that ambient air is free to enter the nozzle, and the hose 39 is connected to the opening 37.

If High suction is desired for off-the-fioor cleaning the valve operating lever 67 is moved to the position indicated at 75 on the indicia 70 and which arranges the valve inlet 62 in full register with the air passageway 51 as shown in full lines in FIGURE 8. In this position the valve inlet 62 completely spans the opening 52 of the air passageway 51 so that the latter is unrestricted to flow of dirt-laden air from the nozzle 40 and hose 39 into the bag 34 as indicated by the arrows 83. In this position air cannot bleed from the floor nozzle 15 through the passageway 41 into the valve member 56, so that the full suction pressure produced by the suction creating means 22 is applied at the off-the-fioor cleaning nozzle 40.

Less suction pressure can be provided at the cleaning tool nozzle 40 by rotating the lever 67 to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2, from the High position at 75 to either the Medium or Low positions at 74 and 73 respectively. The Medium and Low positions of the valve member 56 is shown in FIGURE 8 by the dotted and dot-dash lines respectively. In each of such positions the valve inlet 62 completely spans the opening 52 at the end of the air passageway 51 so that flow of dirtladen air to the filter bag 34 is not restricted. Also the volume of suction bleed ambient air traveling from the floor nozzle 15 to the filter bag 34 is increased upon movement of the valve member 56 to its Medium and Low suction cleaning positions, to thereby cause a reduction in the effective suction at the cleaning tool nozzle 40.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner comprising: a body having a nozzle for removing dirt from a surface being cleaned, an enclosure defining a suction chamber having a substantially flat wall portion, a valve chamber in said wall portion having first and second air passageways extending substantially parallel to said wall portion and radial from said valve chamber, an outlet from said valve chamber leading to said suction chamber, conduit means connecting said nozzle with said first air passageway for flow of dirt-laden air under suction pressure to said valve chamber and suction chamber, means defining an opening connected to atmosphere and to said second air passageway for flow of ambient air to said valve chamber, a valve member forming part of the flow passage between said outlet and said first and second air passageways in said valve chamber and having an air inlet of greater size than said first or second air passageways at said valve chamber to completely span said first passageway and a portion of said second passageway whereby the size of said valve air inlet is less than the combined areas of said first and second air passageways at said valve chamber, said valve member mounted for movement to a plurality of positions relative to said air passageways, one of the positions placing said valve air inlet in register only with said first passageway to apply high suction to said nozzle for passage of dirt-laden air to said suction chamber, and another position of said valve member arranging said valve air inlet in full register with said first air passageway and partially with said second air passageway to provide an unrestricted path for flow of dirt-laden air from said nozzle to said suction chamber and provide a suction bleed from said Opening for passage of ambient air to said suction chamber during the cleaning operation.

2. A suction cleaner comprising: a body having a nozzle for removing dirt from a surface being cleaned, an enclosure defining a suction chamber having a substantially flat wall portion, a valve chamber in said wall portion having first and second air passageways extending substantially radial from said valve chamber, an outlet from said valve chamber leading to said suction chamber and extending substantially perpendicular to said wall portion and to said first and second air passageways, conduit means connecting said nozzle with said first air passageway for flow of air under suction pressure to said valve chamber and suction chamber, means defining an opening to atmosphere adapted to receive a hose for off-thefloor cleaning and connected to said second air passageway, a valve member forming part of the flow passage between said outlet and said first and second air passageways in said valve chamber and having an air inlet of greater size than said first or second air passageways at said valve chamber to completely span said first passageway and a portion of said second passageway whereby the size of said valve air inlet is less than the combined areas of said first and second air passageways at said valve chamber, said valve member mounted for movement to a plurality of positions relative to said air passageways, one of the positions placing said valve air inlet in register only with said first passageway to apply high suction to said nozzle for passage of dirt-laden air to said suction chamber, and another position of said valve member arranging said valve air inlet in full register with said first air passageway and partially with said second air passageway to provide an unrestricted path for flow of dirt-laden air from said nozzle to said suction chamber and provide a suction bleed through said opening adapted to receive the hose for oiT-the-fioor cleaning for passage of ambient air to said suction chamber to reduce the suction pressure.

3. A suction cleaner useable for on-the-fioor and offthe-fioor cleaning comprising: a body having a floor nozzle for removing dirt from a surface during on-the-floor cleaning, an enclosure defining a suction chamber having a substantially flat wall portion, a valve chamber in said wall portion having first and second air passageways extending substantially parallel to said wall portion and radial from said valve chamber, an outlet from said valve chamber leading to said suction chamber, conduit means connecting said fioor nozzle with said first air passageway for flow of air under suction pressure to said valve chamber and suction chamber, means defining an opening to atmosphere adapted to receive a hose for off-the-fioor cleaning and connected to said second air passageway, a valve member forming part of the flow passage between said outlet and said first and second air passageways in said valve chamber and having an air inlet of greater size than said first or second air passageways at said valve chamber to completely span either one of said passageways and a portion of the remaining passageway whereby the size of said valve air inlet is less than the combined areas of said first and second air passageways at said valve chamber, said valve member mounted for movement to a plurality of positions relative to said air passageways, one of the positions placing said valve air inlet in register only with said first air passageway to apply high suction to said floor nozzle for passage of dirt-laden air for on-the-fioor cleaning, a second position placing said valve air inlet in full register with said first air passageway and partially with said second air passageway to provide an unrestricted path for dirt-laden air from said fioor nozzle to said suction chamber and a suction bleed from said air Opening for passage of ambient air to said suction chamber during on-the-fioor cleaning, a third position placing said valve air inlet in full register with said second air passageway and partially with said first air passageway to provide an unrestricted path to' said suction chamber for dirtladen air from said opening when a hose is attached and provided a suction bleed through said fioor nozzle for fiow of ambient air to said suction chamber during offthe-fioor cleaning, and a fourth position arranging said valve air inlet in register only with said opening to apply full suction to a hose when attached to said opening for otf-the-fioor cleaning.

4. A suction cleaner useable for on-the-fioor and offthe-fioor cleaning comprising: a body having a floor nozzle for removing dirt from a surface during on-thefloor cleaning, an enclosure defining a suction chamber having a substantially fiat wall portion, a valve chamber in said wall portion having first and second air passageways extending substantially radial from said valve chamber, an outlet from said valve chamber leading to said suction chamber and extending substantially perpendicular to said wall portion and to said first and second air passageways, conduit means connecting said floor nozzle with said first air passageway for fiow of air under suction pressure to said valve chamber and suction chamber, means defining an opening to atmosphere adapted to re ceive a hose for ofi-the-floor cleaning and connected to said second air passageway, a valve member forming part of the flow passage between said outlet and said first and second air passageways in said valve chamber and having an air inlet of greater size than said first or second air passageways at said valve chamber to completely span either one of said passageways and a portion of the remaining passageway whereby the size of said valve air inlet is less than the combined areas of said first and second air passageways at said valve chamber, said valve member mounted for movement to a plurality of positions relative to said air passageways, one of the positions placing said valve air inlet in register with said second air passageway and partially with said first air passageway to provide an unrestricted path to said suction chamber for dirt-laden air from said opening when a hose is attached and provided a suction bleed through said floor nozzle for fiow of ambient air to said suction chamber during off-the-floor cleaning, and another position arranging said valve air inlet in register only with said opening to apply full suction to a hose when attached to said opening for ofi-the-floor cleaning.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 388,748 8/1888 Webb 137605 X 1,767,658 6/1930 Fantz 137-610 2,175,643 10/1939 Replogle 15336 2,210,952 8/1940 Replogle 15336 FOREIGN PATENTS 294,961 1/ 1929 Great Britain.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUCTION CLEANER COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING A NOZZLE FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM A SURFACE BEING CLEANED, AN ENCLOSURE DEFINING A SUCTION CHAMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT WALL PORTION, A VALVE CHAMBER IN SAID WALL PORTION HAVING FIRST AND SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID WALL PORTION AND RADIAL FROM SAID VALVE CHAMBER, AN OUTLET FROM SAID VALVE CHAMBER LEADING TO SAID SUCTION CHAMBER, CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID NOZZLE WITH SAID FIRST AIR PASSAGEWAY FOR FLOW OF DIRT-LADEN AIR UNDER SUCTION PRESSURE TO SAID VALVE CHAMBER AND SUCTION CHAMBER, MEANS DEFINING AN OPENING CONNECTED TO ATMOSPHERE AND TO SAID SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAY FOR FLOW OF AMBIENT AIR TO SAID VALVE CHAMBER, A VALVE MEMBER FORMING PART OF THE FLOW PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID OUTLET AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAYS IN SAID VALVE CHAMBER AND HAVING AN AIR INLET OF GREATER SIZE THAN SAID FIRST OR SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAYS AT SAID VALVE CHAMBER TO COMPLETELY SPAN SAID FIRST PASSAGEWAY AND A PORTION OF SAID SECOND PASSAGEWAY WHEREBY THE SIZE OF SAID VALVE AIR INLET IS LESS THAN THE COMBINED AREAS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAYS AT SAID VALVE CHAMBER, SAID VALVE MEMBER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT TO A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID AIR PASSAGEWAYS, ONE OF THE POSITIONS PLACING SAID VALVE AIR INLET IN REGISTER ONLY WITH SAID FIRST PASSAGEWAY TO APPLY HIGH SUCTION TO SAID NOZZLE FOR PASSAGE OF DIRT-LADEN AIR TO SAID SUCTION CHAMBER, AND ANOTHER POSITION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER ARRANGING SAID VALVE AIR INLET IN FULL REGISTER WITH SAID FIRST AIR PASSAGEWAY AND PARTIALLY WITH SAID SECOND AIR PASSAGEWAY TO PROVIDE AN UNRESTRICTED PATH FOR FLOW OF DIRT-LADEN AIR FROM SAID NOZZLE TO SAID SUCTION CHAMBER AND PROVIDE A SUCTION BLEED FROM SAID OPENING FOR PASSAGE OF AMBIENT AIR TO SAID SUCTION CHAMBER DURING THE CLEANING OPERATION. 